The Mill Resort & Suites

The problem with overdeveloped islands like Aruba, which I love visiting, is that there are very few cool hotels.  I suppose when people go on a beach vacation, they want air conditioning, towels and comfy beds. They don't worry about character the same way they would if they were visiting, say, Scotland or Napa. Heck, the island's time-share Marriott resort is growing so fast it threatens to swallow the entire northern tip of the island whole. But the sad thing is, Caribbean islands are chocked full of eccentricity and if you look hard enough, you'll find places like The Mill Resort & Suites.

One of the best things about the low-rise  Mill Resort in is the literalness of its name. Unlike most hotels, named after some nearby or abstract cultural landmark or artifact (see The Alamo Hotel, San Antonio), The Mill Resort actually has a  full-sized windmill, brought over from the Netherlands, sitting in its courtyard. And given how the trade winds constantly pound at the little desert island, well, it makes perfect sense that some enterprising Dutchman would buy a windmill and ship it over.

But beyond the windmill, the Mill Resort offers a terrific alternative to plastic chains without one having to give up on that towels, a/c and comfy beds. The courtyard has tropical gardens and a pool that feel miles away from the casinos, shops and popular beaches that are in fact just a few hundred yards  away. Every room is different, giving a distinct "This is my friend's beach house" vibe. 

Best of all, the Mill Resort  attracts some of Aruba's most interesting visitors. Lots of Europeans choose to stay there as well as some of the islands kiteboarding/windsurfing community.